Beja

Mértola vs Serpa: cost of living compared

versus

Yearly saving in Mértola

€40/year

For a single person buying a home, Mértola works out cheaper.

You will

BuyRent

Household

SingleCoupleFamily

Transport

NonePassCar

Home size (m²)

60 m²

More adjustments

Water use (m³/month)DependantsIncome tax paid per year (€)Household gross monthly income (€)Home price (€)Taxable property value, VPT (€)Down payment (%)Term (years)Interest rate (%)I'm 35 or under and it's my first home (IMT Jovem)

MértolaSerpa

Estimated home price · 60 m²€42,180Δ €0€42,180

On the day you buy

Down payment€4,218€4,218

Transfer tax (IMT)€0€0

Stamp duty · purchase€337€337

Stamp duty · loan€228€228

Total upfront€4,783€4,783

Monthly payment€146€146

Mortgage payments35 years at 3.00% · 90% financed

€1,753€1,753

same in both

Property tax (IMI)¹VPT estimated at 50% of price

€63€63

same in both

Water, sewage and wasteOfficial tariffs · 4 m³/month

€125€135

€10less in Mértola

ElectricityERSE regulated tariff · 1,469 kWh/year

€380€380

same in both

GasNo network: butane bottles

€360€360

same in both

Income tax refunded by the municipalityMértola gives back 2%, Serpa gives back 0.5%

€40€10

€30less in Mértola

Total per yearItems with data for both

€2,641€2,681

€40less in Mértola

¹ Property tax estimated using a taxable value (VPT) of 50% of market price. Enter the VPT from your property record for an exact figure.

Average rate on new housing loans: 3.00% (August 2026, Banco de Portugal).

Source: Portal das Finanças, taxas de IMI por município · 2025 · Source: Portal das Finanças, participação dos municípios no IRS · 2026 · Source: INE · 2nd quarter of 2026 · Energy: ERSE, October 2026

Beyond the cost

Mortgage payment ÷ 1 × local median gross salary

15%14%

1%better in Serpa

House price rise over 5 yearsMedian sale price (€/m²), over 5 years

+41%+42%

1 pointsrose more in Serpa

Crime rateRecorded crimes per 1 000 residents

17.2/100030.5/1000

13.3/1000better in Mértola

Average commuteOne way to work or school

17 min16 min

1 minbetter in Serpa

Average salary (gross)Average monthly earnings, by place of work

€1,121/month€1,177/month

€56/monthbetter in Serpa

Median salary (gross)Half of workers earn less than this, by place of work

€993/month€1,032/month

€39/monthbetter in Serpa

Purchasing power (Portugal = 100)Per-capita index

70.476.0

5.6better in Serpa

PharmaciesPer 1,000 people

0.30/10000.30/1000

same in both

Nearest emergency departmentAverage straight-line distance from where residents live to the nearest hospital emergency department

37.2 km22.1 km

15.1 kmbetter in Serpa

CrèchesPublic, non-profit (IPSS) and private crèches and childminders, children under 3 (above 100: more places than children)

79/10058/100

21/100better in Mértola

Crèche placesTotal crèche places (excluding childminders)

56180

124better in Serpa

Not-for-profit crèchesShare of places in public, IPSS and misericórdia crèches, free under Creche Feliz

100%100%

same in both

Ageing indexOlder people per 100 young (lower = younger)

414241

173better in Serpa

Burnt land over 10 yearsShare of the land that burnt at least once in 10 years

0.4%0.6%

0.2%better in Mértola

Not part of the euro total. Crime: recorded crimes per 1 000 residents (2025). Commute: average one-way trip to work or school (2021).

Mértola and Serpa in the rankings

See where Mértola and Serpa rank on each indicator: home prices, salaries, emergency care, crèches…

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Better valueMértola

Mértola → Serpa →